7-Eleven ranks higher than Winn-Dixie on grocery survey

June 5, 2012|Justine Griffin

7-Eleven ranks higher than Winn-Dixie and other national grocer chains on the list of the top perceived grocery chains by people who consider themselves healthy shoppers, according to a report by YouGov BrandIndex, a consumer perception research service of brands.

The convenience store chain ranked No. 9 on the list, which put them ahead of brands like Winn-Dixie and other national grocery chains.

The grocery stores were ranked by consumers who evaluate their own health as good or excellent. The scores range from 100 to -100. A zero score means neither positive nor negative feedback. YouGov BrandIndex interviews 5,000 people from the U.S. population each weekday, totaling more than 1.2 million interviews each year.

7-Eleven’s score jumped to its highest level in four years on this year’s survey, the report said. Winn-Dixie ranked No. 10, just behind 7-Eleven.

Kroger took the number one spot, followed by Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods Market and Publix. Albertsons and Aldi ranked No. 6 and 7.

The convenience store chain is expanding in Broward, Palm Beach and Miami-Dade counties. 7-Eleven opened 57 new or remodeled stores in the tri-county area since 2010. There are 15 more stores set to open by the end of this year in South Florida, and 25 scheduled for 2013, said Grant Distel, 7-Eleven's development director for real estate and franchising in the state.

The inside of the stores are getting an upgrade, too. Most of the South Florida 7-Eleven locations are being refitted for an updated coffee bar section, which provides an easier experience for customers to find and pour their coffee. 7-Eleven's new hot food bars are coming to South Florida stores, which sell on-the-go items like chicken tenders, wings, sliced pizza and tacos.

More convenience stores in the U.S. are looking to become restaurants that sell gas and some other products, according to the National Association of Convenience Stores. The average U.S. convenience store sells more than $250,000 a year in food services.